Checklist for Basic Designer SE Embroidery Training

This is a checklist for internal Craft Room training use. This is not a tutorial. Please do not attempt to train yourself on the Husqvarna. Only Craft Room coordinators can authorize you to use the machine.

Open questions are at the end.

Checklist: Machine and Design Setup

1. How to remove the case; power button, power cord
2. How to switch from sewing mode to embroidery
3. Location of USB ports; plugging in USB; how to open a design from USB drive (recommend I3 logo design)
   1. Coordinator to-do: Set up separate checklist for design creation.
4. Hoop Selection
   1. Coordinator notes: If we use the I3 logo, as preferred, we don't have to think about which hoop to select--that logo is set up for the 100x100. If we let the student select a different design, though, we'll also need a step telling the student which hoop sizes are available and which ones are appropriate to their design.
      1. Coordinator todo: Document hoop selection somewhere...
5. Limited review of resizing, rotating, and other on-machine design modifications.
   1. Coordinator notes: As Liz noted, your design should ALREADY be the correct size before it gets on the machine; if it's not, resizing it there will warp it. I forget what her upper and lower bounds were, though. ...if we go with the I3 logo, we can leave this step for advanced classes.

Checklist: Materials and Machine Prep

1. Stabilizer Selection
   1. Coordinator notes: There are at least three ways to teach this, and we need to decide which way we want to do it.
      1. Simplest: Have all beginners use the same standard fabric and stabilizer. Don't discuss stabilizers at all.
      2. Intermediate: Use the Embroidery Advisor; give the student basic advice on stabilizer.
      3. Complex: Allow the student to use any fabric they desire; educate them on which stabilizers are appropriate for different types of fabric.
         1. I think you know more about which ones to use than I do, but if exotic fabrics come up, there's a list in the Husqvarna Handbook (on the window shelf), or see, for instance, like http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4631/making-sense-of-stabilizers/page/all.
2. Once stabilizer's selected: Cutting fabric, cutting stabilizer, how to hoop
   1. Optional: Basting and/or spray adhesives (for non-stick stabilizers)
   2. Optional: I don't yet know how the fabric should be oriented in the hoop for maximum stability; I'd guess it should always have the grain at right angles, though.
3. Needle Selection; How to Change Needles
   1. Simplest: Preselected design means preselected needle.
   2. Intermediate: Use the Embroidery Advisor.
   3. Complex: Teach the students about the range of available needles and which weights are appropriate for which fabrics. (But please note that I don't have this information myself.)

• Coordinator Notes: Incidentally, I think we'll ALWAYS want to change the needle and discard the old one at this point. I also don't think we'll want to discuss re-sharpening needles until much later, because there's always someone who wants to save money by using a blunt needle.

1. Threading
   1. Coordinator's Notes:
      1. Discuss the difference between upper and lower threads here; the student must know that polyfilament goes in the bottom and embroidery in the top.
      2. As noted above, discuss the importance of using only approved thread.
      3. Spool change and thread path (reference photos in HOWTO_Change_the_Thread_on_the_Husqvarna_Designer_SE)
      4. Bobbin change (reference photos in HOWTO_Change_the_Thread_on_the_Husqvarna_Designer_SE)
2. Changing the Arm
   1. Coordinator's Notes: This is the one thing I've never taken photographs of...But please note that, after you're done, the arm will only fit back in the case if you switch back into Sewing Mode. Of course, that should be done AFTER you've removed the hoop.
   2. If you're 'bumping' when you try to insert the arm, there's a little 'cat door' above the place where the machine plugs in its power/data connection. It occasionally falls closed and needs to be opened.
3. Changing the Foot
   1. Coordinator To Do: Jan, could you write this one up?

Checklist: Execution

You'll probably need to show EVERY student how the stitch counter and thread color ranges work before you begin execution. While they're only needed once the thread breaks, the thread often breaks. If the student can follow the embroidery progress on-screen, it'll reinforce their primary method of recovery.

1. Before continuing, review buttons above needle:
   1. Foot up, foot down
   2. Reverse
   3. Speed up/speed down
   4. Fix
2. Set the machine as follows:
   1. Press fix button until it lights up
   2. Press '-Speed'; speed bar will show on screen. Take it down to about half.
3. Move the student's hands out of the way, then press the 'Start' button.

Open Questions for Jan

1. Should the student be using a file we give them? (I recommend yes, and that we use the I3 logo.)
   1. If not, then you'll need to walk the student through selecting a file that's appropriate! ...
      1. RECOMMENDED SOURCES (what websites?).
      2. FILETYPE: As you already know, the Husqvarna accepts a wide range of files, but we'd have to document or point to that information so you don't have to hunt around for it. I think it's in the manual somewhere (link on page).
      3. SIZE: Design size has to fit the hoops we have. (And we need to document or point to which hoops we have now!)
      4. COMPLEXITY: The larger the embroidery, the (much) more likely that it will fail partway through. For a basic class, we don't want to have to teach the student much about fixing errors, and we also don't want to have to restart if the embroidery is unrecoverable, so simple patterns are much better.
2. How many people are in the class? How much time is available?
   1. I strongly recommend that you first show people, then undo your work and have them do it again themselves. But that's not practical with more than one person per class.

Kevin's recommendations

1. I strongly recommend that you first show people, then undo your work and have them do it again themselves. That's especially true for needle threading, bobbin selection, hooping, and arm attachment.
2. I recommend that this be a basic class that uses the I3 logo. (There's a link below.) That allows us to also choose the fabric, stabilizer, and thread ahead of time.
3. I recommend emphasizing the need to use new needles and high-quality thread. Unlike many other machines here, using inferior materials will actually damage the machine and cost the space money...if they can't afford the materials, then they can't afford to pay for a repair trip. I've never had the courage to phrase it that strongly, though.